Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Pakistan: Floods

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will (1) carry out, and (2) publish, an assessment of the causes of the floods in (a) Pakistan, and (b) elsewhere on the India sub-continent, to assist them in their longer term response.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Undertaking an assessment of the causes of the flooding in Pakistan and elsewhere on the Indian sub-continent would be at the discretion of the respective national governments. However, the UK Government works closely with the Met Office to monitor hazards around the world, and shares key climate information with our partners. The UK has committed to double the amount of climate finance to support adaptation to the impacts of climate change. Between 2011 and 2021 UK International Climate Finance supported 88 million people to cope with the impacts of climate change, installed 2,400MW of clean energy, providing 41 million people with improved access, and helped mobilise £8 billion of public and private finance for climate change purposes in developing countries.

Israel: Embassies

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to move the British Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The British Embassy to Israel is based in Tel Aviv. The UK's position on the status of Jerusalem is that it should be determined through a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians and that Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states.

Yemen: Development Aid

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much UK overseas aid they provided to Yemen in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, (3) 2019, (4) 2020, and (5) 2021.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has played a leading role in responding to the humanitarian crisis, committing over £1 billion in aid since the conflict began. Below is a table of UK aid spending on Yemen. We continue to work with donors, the UN and NGOs to lobby the parties to lift access restrictions and ensure humanitarian aid reaches those who most need it in Yemen.Financial YearAmount PledgedAmount Disbursed2021/22£87m£87m2020/21£160m£221m2019/20£200m£239m2018/19£170m£167m2017/18£139m£203m

Pakistan: Floods

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyare taking to provide support to Pakistan during the recent floods.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan as it faces the consequences of the recent devastating flooding. The UK was one of the first countries to announce funding (£1.5 million) to respond to the humanitarian need. We have now increased this to £16.5 million to support flood relief efforts. UK aid will be targeted towards the hardest hit areas of Sindh and other provinces. The UK contribution is also now over 10 per cent of the joint UN and Government of Pakistan emergency appeal ($160 million). This flooding demonstrates how climate change is making extreme weather events both more intense and more frequent.

Pakistan: Floods

Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) humanitarian, and (2) financial, assistance they are providing to Pakistan in relation to the floods in the Sindh province and related areas.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Pakistan as it faces the consequences of the recent devastating flooding. The UK was one of the first countries to announce funding (£1.5 million) to respond to the humanitarian need. We have now increased this to £16.5 million to support flood relief efforts. UK aid will be targeted towards the hardest hit areas of Sindh and other provinces. The UK contribution is also now over 10 per cent of the joint UN and Government of Pakistan emergency appeal ($160 million). This flooding demonstrates how climate change is making extreme weather events both more intense and more frequent.

Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regarding the continued detention ofZimbabwe opposition Members of Parliament (1) Job Sikhala, and (2) Godfrey Sithole.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is monitoring the ongoing detention of opposition Members of Parliament Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole in Zimbabwe. The former Minister for Africa met with the Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe on 30 June and reiterated the importance of all political parties respecting the rule of law, refraining from violence and respecting the right of others' to campaign freely ahead of upcoming elections in 2023.

Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the government of Zimbabwe regarding the continued detention of opposition Members of Parliament (1) Job Sikhala, and (2) Godfrey Sithole.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is monitoring the ongoing detention of opposition Members of Parliament Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole in Zimbabwe. The former Minister for Africa met with the Foreign Minister of Zimbabwe on 30 June and reiterated the importance of all political parties respecting the rule of law, refraining from violence and respecting the right of others to campaign freely ahead of upcoming elections in 2023.

Abdel Fattah, Alaa

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with negotiations with the government of Egypt regarding the release ofAlaa Abd el-Fattah, who has been in prison in that country on hunger strike since April.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Since his sentencing in December 2021, FCDO officials have consistently called on the Egyptian Government urgently to grant consular access to Alaa Abdel Fattah. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad and the then Foreign Secretary also raised the case with Foreign Minister Shoukry during his visit to London in July. The previous Prime Minister raised the case with President Sisi during a call on 25 August, expressing his hope for swift and positive progress. We continue to support the family of Alaa Abdel Fattah.

Ukraine: Sexual Offences

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Ukraine to support female victims of rape or sexual violence in Ukraine in accessing full, prompt, and safe abortion, sexual and reproductive health treatments.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to tackling conflict-related sexual violence and we are working closely with the Ukrainian Government on this issue, including through specialist UK expertise to support investigations. As part of the UK's £220 million of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, we are helping ensure legal support and crisis accommodation for victims and supporting the effective documentation of gender-based violence cases. UK funding to the UN Populations Fund is also expanding the provision of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights in Ukraine.

Development Aid: Climate Change

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what investments they are funding which aim, as a stated goal, to limit climate migration.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The links between migration and climate change are complex; evidence shows that decisions to migrate are rarely mono-causal, but that climate extremes and environmental degradation often amplify other economic, social and political drivers of migration. Funding that supports adaptation and resilience to climate change therefore helps to reduce climate-related migration. Since 2011 we have directly supported over 88 million people in some of the world's most vulnerable countries to cope with the effects of climate change.

Ukraine: War Crimes

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide practical support for the investigation of alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is providing assistance to the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court to support its investigations and has already made a £1m voluntary contribution funded through the cross-Government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). This contribution will increase the OTP's collection of evidence capacity. We are also supporting the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (OPG) to investigate war crimes committed in Ukraine through a £2.5 million support package. This is to be delivered through the Atrocity Crimes Advisory group (ACA), which was established in May in conjunction with the EU and US to support the OPG with the gathering of evidence and prosecution of war crimes. The package includes the deployment of Mobile Justice Teams to the scene of potential war crimes, training of up to 90 judges, forensic evidence gathering and support from UK experts in sexual violence in conflict.

Somalia: Development Aid

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much UK overseas aid they provided to Somalia in (1) 2017, (2) 2018, (3) 2019, (4) 2020, and (5) 2021.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK's total bilateral Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) to Somalia in the years between 2017 and 2020 from the published accounts at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/statistics-on-international-development is shown below. The Final 2021 UK Aid spend is yet to be published. 2017201820192020Somalia (£m)282194176232

Libya: Undocumented Migrants

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of refugees and migrants being held in detention centres in Libya; what assessment they have made of the risk of those people being exposed to (1) murder, (2) torture, and (3) extortion; and what steps they are taking, if any, to close such centres.

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they have made to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency to cease cooperation with the Libyan Coast Guard in preventing refugees and migrants from leaving Libya.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK notes the abuse of migrants and refugees in Libya and the inhumane conditions in detention centres. The Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya is assessing human rights abuses and violations in detention centres. The UK co-sponsored the renewal of the Fact Finding Mission's mandate in July. We continue to urge the interim Government of National Unity to take steps to end the exploitation and abuse of migrants and to implement a better functioning system that respects human rights. We support the UN's call for detention centres across Libya to be closed, and call on all parties to engage with the UN and the humanitarian community so that all migrants and refugees can be evacuated safely in accordance with international human rights law.

International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief

Lord Singh of Wimbledon: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they invited Pakistani clericsHassan Haseeb-ur-Rehman and Muhammad Naqib-ur-Rahmam to the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in July; and what assessment they made of the effect those invitations would have on religious harmony and social cohesion in the UK and beyond.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government consulted with international and domestic partners and set up a Conference Advisory Committee (CAC) with representatives from a range of religion or belief communities, academia and human rights groups to consider invitees to the UK-hosted Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB).In the spirit of fostering a healthy dialogue and promoting open societies, we invited a wide and diverse range of participants from over 120 countries. We successfully brought together over 800 faith and belief leaders, human rights actors, civil society and 100 government delegations to agree and work towards joint action on promoting FoRB for all.

British Virgin Islands: Politics and Government

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the governance of the British Virgin Islands.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government agreed earlier this year with the conclusions of the Commission of Inquiry that identified poor governance in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The new BVI Government and Premier Wheatley also agreed change was needed and committed to a substantial reform plan. Legislative changes have been made, policy reviews begun and several criminal investigations and audits are under way, with the UK Government providing some funding and expertise. The Governor and UK Government will assess progress quarterly with the first assessment at the end of September.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the persecution of followers of the Baha'i faith in Iran; and what steps they are taking in response.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. We have previously expressed our deep concern at reports of expropriation and repossession of land owned by Baha'i communities in Ivel. The Baha'i community in Iran continue to be systematically discriminated against, harassed, and targeted.On 5 August 2022 I said; "The persecution of religious minorities cannot be tolerated in 2022." We strongly condemn the increasing detention of members of the Baha'i community in Iran, as well as reports of forced closures of their businesses and land seizures. The persecution of religious minorities is a serious violation of international human rights law. We are working closely with our international partners to hold Iran to account and continue to raise human rights concerns regularly with the Iranian government.

Treasury

Small Businesses: National Insurance Contributions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to temporarily reverse national insurance contributions for small and medium sized enterprises.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government announced on 22 September that it will be reversing the Health and Social Care Levy. This will provide a tax cut for the 60 per cent (920,000) of businesses who pay National Insurance contributions (NICs) bills by an average of £9,600 in 2023-24. 20,000 businesses will be taken out of paying NICs entirely. The other 40 per cent of businesses already pay no NICs as a result of the Employment Allowance (EA). In April 2022, the Government increased the EA, a relief which allows eligible businesses to reduce their employer NICs bills each year, from £4,000 to £5,000. This means that businesses and charities who had employer NICs bills of £100,000 or less in the previous tax year are able to claim up to £5,000 off their employer NICs bills. As a result, eligible businesses are able to employ 4 full-time employees on the National Living Wage without paying any employer NICs. 94 per cent of businesses that benefitted from this change were small and micro businesses.The Government also recognises that many businesses are exposed to increased energy costs driven by global factors. The Government has announced new support for households, businesses and public sector organisations facing rising energy bills in Great Britain and Northern Ireland – supporting growth, preventing unnecessary insolvencies and protecting jobs.Through a new Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the Government will provide a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers (including all UK businesses, the voluntary sector like charities and the public sector such as schools and hospitals) whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices. This support will be equivalent to the Energy Price Guarantee put in place for households.

Hospitality Sector: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have tointroduce an emergency financial support package for the hospitality sector.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government appreciates that many businesses are exposed to increased energy costs, driven by global factors.The new Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBSS), unveiled on 21 September, will provide a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for businesses, including those in the hospitality sectors. This will apply to fixed term contracts – agreed on or after 1 April 2022 – as well as deemed, variable and flexible tariffs and contracts. The guarantee will apply to energy usage from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023, and this support will be automatically applied to bills.The Growth Plan (2022) fulfilled the Government’s commitments to cut taxes and set the direction for regulatory reform. The planned rise in the rate of Corporation Tax will not go ahead and the Annual Investment Allowance will be permanently set at £1 million, freeing businesses to invest and grow. The reduction in the rate of National Insurance will make it cheaper for businesses to employ staff and pay higher wages; and reforms to Universal Credit will ensure claimants are supported to seek more and better paid work. In the coming weeks, the Government will set out further supply side reforms which will promote growth and ease the burden on businesses.This is in addition to the 50% business rates relief for eligible hospitality businesses, and the increased Employment Allowance worth up to £5,000.The Government has taken action to protect businesses from soaring energy costs and provided them with the certainty they need to plan, invest, and grow.